Odisha: +2 courses to be imparted in 15 high schools from 2018-19

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government is planning to impart plus two courses in 15 high schools from upcoming academic year 2018-19.

As it may take 2-3 years to separate plus two colleges from degree colleges, the authorities have decided to introduce the intermediate courses in high schools in phases.

The move came at a meeting chaired by Development Commissioner recently.

Sources in the School & Mass Education (S&ME) department said that 15 high schools have been selected to impart plus two courses from upcoming academic session.

Initially, the class XI will be taught by making few changes in the existing infrastructure in the schools. The admission into the courses will be conducted online. The authorities are planning to introduce second year (class XII) in those schools in 2019-20 academic year.

Sources said that the new PGT teachers will be appointed for teaching the plus two courses in those high schools. The government has approved 137 posts for PGT teachers. But, the faculties in rank of junior lecture, senior lecture and reader will be engaged in taking the plus two classes in the high schools till end of the process for appointing the PGT teachers.

However, it is yet to be decided about the streams to be introduced in the high schools.

The plus two colleges, which have been managed by the S&ME department, is being operated in the degree colleges due to lack of infrastructure in the high schools.

Meanwhile, the S&ME department has given its nod to separate the plus colleges from 49 degree colleges in the 2018-19 academic year.

The authorities asked the higher education department and directorate of higher secondary education to ensure the separation process and smooth conduct of plus two classes in the schools within a month.